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Question

Can't use spacebar, more without using Function key

Mar 19, 2017 5:31AM PDT

Toshiba Satellite L775, Windows 10. Suddenly, can't use spacebar, symbols, etc w/o FN key. Read about Win 10 update causing this, fix was select Keyboard in Toshiba/Utilities/HWSETUP and do "xyz" but I can't open HWSETUP to do anything! Is this the right fix or do you know of something else. CAN'T TYPE THIS WAY!!!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
That's news to me.
Mar 19, 2017 8:50AM PDT

I will google more about it but here I always test this issue with some USB keyboard to see if it's Windows or something else.

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Spacebar help
Mar 23, 2017 10:13AM PDT

Any luck??

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Delayed
Mar 23, 2017 12:25PM PDT

Try some other keyboard next.

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Different keyboard?
Mar 23, 2017 6:11PM PDT

You're suggesting plugging in a separate keyboard to see if it's any different? Can try..... but as stated, I have to utilize FN not just for spacebar but also for numbers, and FN Shift for characters. Feel that it MUST be software, should I pose same question to Win 10 forum??

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Did you try another keyboard?
Mar 25, 2017 7:18AM PDT

And is this how the machine worked from day one?

This sounds odd to keep a machine that did this out of the box.

I was mobile so I wasn't here as much.

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Different Keyboard #22
Mar 26, 2017 3:09PM PDT

Plugged a wireless keyboard in and the spacebar works, and numbers and symbols.

In answer to your other question
No, had this laptop for several years. Just out of the blue one afternoon this happened.

What does it mean now, that a separate keyboard works? Thanks.

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When the external keyboard works.
Mar 26, 2017 3:20PM PDT

It's either the laptop keyboard or the motherboard. I find keyboards for under 99 bucks so that's worth doing most of the time.

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When external works??
Mar 26, 2017 6:27PM PDT

Wouldn't couldn't it be software related? The external keyboard not subject to whatever software screw up has told the laptop spacebar not to work (WHICH WORKS when you press FN)??

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You can test for that.
Mar 27, 2017 8:31AM PDT

Factory restore the laptop and if the problem goes away, it was software.

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I'm having the same issue. It's definitely software-related.
Apr 2, 2017 9:17AM PDT

I too am having this issue and it happened around the same time frame (March 19-24). My esc key, tab, spacebar, and qwertry numbers 1-4 do not work unless I use my FN key. Using an external keyboard is not a viable solution for me so need to find root cause. I've uninstalled the Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB3150513) update; that is the only update from around that time period, and that did not solve the problem. I also tried HWSETUP and couldn't get it to open. I've uninstalled the keyboard drivers multiple times. I also am running on a Toshiba Satellite L775. The Toshiba support site does not have anything either. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

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Answer
Found the fix. Update Synaptic driver.
Apr 2, 2017 1:22PM PDT

Found this on answers.microsoft.com. The reason for these specific keys (1,2,3,4,tab,spacebar) to work only with FN pressed is because of a conflict with an old Synaptics pointing device driver and Windows 10.
This can be fixed easily by uninstalling the Synaptics driver 19.0.9.5 and then installing updated version 19.0.19.1 as of 3/17/2017.

It worked for me!

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Answer
Same problem here
Apr 7, 2017 9:02AM PDT

Same thing happened to our Toshiba laptop! Watching.